This invention pertains to pole-setting apparatus for transporting a utility pole to the desired location and, thereafter, lifting the pole and setting the pole into a hole.
Frequently, a pole must be set into a hole in upright position at a location not accessible to large truck or tractor-mounted power equipment, or where use of such equipment would damage the surrounding terraine. A pole-setter, which may be moved easily into position, has been in use for many years and is of a type shown in Thiermann U.S. Pat. No. 3,112,037 wherein a boom assembly is removably connected to a dolly with ground-engaging tires and the boom assembly mounts a pivoted cradle whereby activation of a pair of hydraulic cylinders causes pivoting of the cradle to elevate a pole and, at the same time, the dolly advances along the ground and with there being a coaction of the parts, as set forth in the aforesaid patent, until the pole is firmly positioned in the hole. A variation of the pole-setter is shown in Thiermann U.S. Pat. No. 3,236,398.
In the foregoing devices, it has been conventional to use two binder members for holding a pole in association with the cradle during elevation and setting of the pole and with pivoting of the cradle being accomplished by operation of a pair of hydraulic cylinders. This construction has been more expensive and relatively complex because of the need for two hydraulic cylinders with additional connections and with additional time involved in use of the pole-setter because of the need for attaching and releasing the pair of binder members.
Additionally, the first-mentioned patent shows a pivotal connection between the boom assembly and the dolly by means of a pivot pin which permits pivoting of the parts relative to each other. The connection is difficult to make, since it requires accurate alignment of openings in the parts to be connected prior to insertion of the pivot pin therethrough.